The Bean Trees audiobook

A gently told story of the power of love, of how the families we make are as important as the ones we're born into. Each of us can make a difference with our compassion.

I have to admit, this book really did a number on me. It was recommended to me from a friend, so my expectations were high, but after the first few chapters I was was not getting into it. The narrator's first-person voice was simple, non-descriptive, and frankly just a bit too naive to handle for an entire novel. But the story was interesting, so I kept going.And the thing is, so does Taylor, the main character. As she charges her way through a haphazard journey to the Southwest, she begins to grow up right before your eyes, and so does her narrative voice. Slowly, her language becomes more mature, as do her observations. A story that started out very basic and straightforward becomes rich and multi-faceted. By the end I was shocked at the transformation that happened in just 200+ pages, just as Taylor must have been to see herself and her world change in less than a year. I now have nothing but love for this adorable book. So roll your eyes all you want at the girl in the first few chapters, she'll grow on you.

When I first read this book several years ago, I was terribly impressed by 1) her writing style, which I really like - I wish I could write like that2) the interesting plot of a single girl who had avoided teenage pregnancy through her young life only to end up with someone else's baby3) the relationship she has with her mother, who believes her daughter "hung the moon in the sky" and can absolutely do no wrong. I think it would be wonderful if my daughters came out of their childhoods not pregnant, and with the assurance that I think they are so wonderful.

Barbara Kingsolver’s novel, “The Bean Trees” is fun read. Kingsolver is a superb storyteller. The characters are unique and descriptions make. The story comes alive.It's the story of Marietta a strong young woman from Kentucky who throws everything aside and begins a life changing journey--she just drives. It's a saga of uncertainty that keeps you wondering what’s next. Changes begin: 1) a new name of Taylor. 2) a Cherokee woman leaves a baby in Taylor’s car -- she names her Turtle. 3) she meets Lou Ann Ruiz. Now the craziness begins. Kingslayer embraces many issues I imagine would be encountered in a freewheeling life style. Just to name a few: illegal immigration, rape, child protective services problems and divorce. I really enjoyed this book. It's a great tale it also reminded me of people I knew and encountered in my early 20's. I highly recommend!

5starsThis is an amazing cast of lovable characters who don't have much other than one another. It proves that "family" doesn't have to be blood related.

Barbara Kingsolver shot out of the barriers with her first novel – The Bean Trees – and really, has never looked back. There are very few novelists that deliver time after time with high quality, well thought out, interesting themes & character filled books; names that come to mind of people who do fall into this category are such novelists as Margaret Atwood and Jane Austen.The plot is very character driven rather than narrative. It is basically the journey of a young woman discovering herself, and the people she gathers around her, and by their presence being part of the process of her development. Tucson, by its very nature of being so close to the Mexican border is a city that is a melting pot of cultures and peoples. It is hardly surprising then that Taylor would collect a series of characters and eccentrics. Being a drifter, she is going to encounter people with their own set of problems and ideals.The complication in Taylor’s life is the thrusting suddenly onto her of a toddler who is a Native American, who she calls Turtle. Taylor is suddenly a single mother with all the prejudices and assumptions people make. There is also the steep learning curve of being a mother and the expectations the child demands in her innocence. It makes the challenges of a stable life for the small family unit that much more “interesting”.Kingsolver’s Tucson is a colourful place, and one that makes you want to visit. The novel deals well with poverty, human struggles, and the sense of community that poorer neighbourhoods are known to conduct. It does come with challenges – requiring baby sitters, and fighting off the good intensions of those that believe that splitting a poor family unit is better for the child. This is a thorny topic – which is better: giving a child financial security, or be in a loving family unit that has financial issues? It’s a common problem worldwide, and this book shows which side Kingsolver favours.The strength of women – as a sisterhood, as a community, as individuals – is very much in the fore. The men are often losers: violent, lazy and demanding on the limited resources and finances. It could be construed as a feminist novel, but I think this is misguided, as it encompasses the strength that can be achieved if people work together and are supportive when times are tough. Although there is an aspect of lesbianism, there are also very passionate relationships with men. Taylor falls in love with Esperanza, but knows Esperanza is never going to leave her husband, and so fulfils her unrequited needs with a deep platonic friendship.The other major theme is immigration. The folklore of the US is its welcoming of those that wish to come to the US for better opportunities. For some decades now, this has not been the case, and it depends on where you come from, more than who you are. The struggle of a Guatamalan couple who are refugees is poignantly written, exasperated by the fact that young Turtle looks very much like the child that Esperanza has lost. The Underground Railroad is very much alive and functioning in modern US as we see this couple avoid the authorities and restart their lives.I loved this book, with the characters, the experiences, and the personal development of both Taylor as a mother, and the emotional development of Turtle, who has obviously been abused (sexually & emotionally & most likely physically). I also enjoyed the sense of place: I felt I was sweating it out in Tucson in those long hot summers, and also the beauty of the surrounding landscape. I really enjoyed the passions and emotions the characters experienced. What I especially liked was the view of one being eccentric does not preclude you from happy fulfilling relationships at all levels- friendship to sexual.

This is my fourth read of this book. . . It is my favorite of the BK oeuvre. When it first came out there was all the fuss about banning it, but has Time has marched on, He/She has stomped all over some of those sensitivities. It has been interesting to watch. My favorite in this book is Turtle, then Taylor and Mattie. The themes of motherhood - surprised by motherhood - and resiliency in the face of relentless obstacles is one that always comforts me. I picked it up because I needed comforting. It has done that.Now will do Pigs in Heaven. As I recall not quite as good as this, but a satisfactory answer to ". . . and now for the rest of the story. . ." We'll see if I'm right or not.Beware - child abuse, while in the past and not explicitly described, is a major element in the story. Despite this, a story worth telling. . . .